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d sufficient porosity.

)litt JAMES e@ HALL, dorBarr-"LE canna, moine AN.

p Letters Patent No. 104,450, dated June 21, 1870.`

` u RAIN-WATERCONDUCTOR AND rrLTnR.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent'fmd making part of the same `To all whom it mag/,concern u I Be it known that I, JAMES C. HALL, of the city of Battle Greek, in the county of Calhoun and State of Michigan, have invented a new and' improved Selij adJustmg-Rain-water Conductor and Filterer; and

I do hereby declare `that the following is a full, clear,

l and exact description of the? same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part ofthis specification, in which- `Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus,

exhibiting the straining and filtering compartments as l partially drawn out.

Figure 2 is a partial vertical section through the w self-adjusting valve,

Similar" letters of reference indicate like parts iu `both figures.

i My arrangement relates to an improved apparat-us `for conducting rain-water to cisterns or other reservoirs in a strainedandiltered state,`having a selfl adjusting tension and float arrangement, with a ilexi ible connection that permits all 'surplus water to' run to waste, at any required distance from the said reseri voir, whenever it is lled up to the adjusted capacity; i and To enable others skilled in this particular branch tc construct my invention, I will now proceed to de- 'scribeit` i Q i A is a rectangular case, open on one side, and fitted with narrow partition bars, l), and guides (not shown) ,y 1 to receive the two draw compartments B and-C, to be presently described.

g Y a: D is a smaller casing, formed on top of A, and furnished with a vertical branch-pipe, F, as seen, to cony neet with the rainy-water conductor leading from the a roofs, or elsewhere; also, with a side branehpipc,G,

f for the, escape ofthe surplus or waste water;

The two'casings A and D do not communicate with each other, except through a valve-opening, e, so sit-` `nated, in relation .to the inlet F, that thewater will not fall upon the valve. f

`The draw B has its bottom constructed so as to strain the water `before it passes into the lilterin'gdraw O,nnderneath" it, which may be done by making it of suitable wire-cloth', or of `sheet metal perforated suicientlytine `to keep back the accumulations of earthy and vegetable matter which would tend to clog the filter aforesaid. i n,

The bottom of the filter-draw C should also be perforated, but with larger apertures, as seen, and the draw is lled with any suitablefiltering material of I leave a space usually between the iilterbottom 'and the bottom of the case A, to which the pipe 1),' th, t conducts the filtered `water-to the clstem, is conf' `nected. 'i' l" The cases and' draws are best made of non-corrosive sheet metal, otherwise they must be protected by'a coating of some material that will not injure the water, and I usually protect the interior of the case by a hinged door, (shown open at 1,) which shuts over the draws, and may be hooked or locked to one of the sides of the case.

' L is the valve, to open and close-the aperture c, usually of the common disk kind, made adjustable,v as -A shown, on the bent threaded end of a horizontal bar, J, pivoted to'ears at or about the point. i, so that the valve will be closed` byy gravity, exceptwhen overbalanced by the weight of the iioatsuspended at high#- d water line. Y

The float, seen at M, is connected to the outer end of the valve-bar by a cord or flexible wire, a, which maybe led around any angleby the aid lof pulleys, as seen at 12, and thus operate the'valve automatically at any Vrequired distance vfrom the cistern.4

The rain-water passes first downthe pipe l? into the case D, and asthe valve L is up always, by rea. son of the preponderatiug weight of the float M, suspended in `the cistern,`the water passes through the strainer bottom into the lter Vin the draw compartment '0, from which it passes puritied through thc pipe P into the cistern. y V

Then the water reaches the float M, so as to buoy it up and relieve the tension on vthe cord, the valve will fall on its seat, andthe surplus water will escape through the waste outlet or pipe at G;

The valve will, of course, be lifted whenevervthe' water is so lowered in the cistern as to permit the4 float to operate as a mere suspended weight.

My improved arrangement is equally useful andl y eflicacious,` whether it is designed to'use the rain#l water filtered by it for drinking, or for other domestic uses.

In the latter case it might he well to usea more Y porous and free filter, sufcient to'removesuch coarse extraneous matter as will leave the water so pure that it will not deposit any sediment, and will continueinodorous; but in any case, should the water not pass'Y through the filter as fast as itis received from the roofs, the` overflow will pass oii through the wastepipe. n

In my arrangement, the convenience afforded for emptying the strainer compartment, and for renewingA the filter, will insure its being frequently done, and the self-adjusting arrangement of the valve, cord, and oat-weight, permits locating the filter at the most convenient point for the rain supply and ,w escape ol' surplus water, without special reference to thcposition of thecistern. 1

I am aware thata patent, dated December 17, 1867, was granted J B. Hudson for a rain-conductor, which strained the water, and received and expelled it by means of an oscillating disk, connected by a rigid rod to a oat, which opeiated' by buoyancy alone; but a filter could not be introduced into this conductor with- -out an entire change of construction, and, besides, to

that passes through, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

l2. yIn combination with the parts mentioned in the first clause of the claim, the lever J, carrying the valve L, and operated as descn'bed, when arranged as seat e, compartment D, induction and overflow pipes F G, all as and for the purpose set forth.

Given under my hand September 4, 1869.

JAMES (l. HALL.

Witnesses:

C. T. 000K, OTTO LEE J oHNsoN.

are fitted and provided to stra-in and filter the Water shown, with relation to the easing A, drawer' B, valve- 

